Real, complex, and binary semantic vectors

This paper presents a combined structure for using real, complex, and binary valued vectors for semantic representation. The theory, implementation, and application of this structure are all significant. For the theory underlying quantum interaction, it is important to develop a core set of mathematical operators that describe systems of information, just as core mathematical operators in quantum mechanics are used to describe the behavior of physical systems. The system described in this paper enables us to compare more traditional quantum mechanical models (which use complex state vectors), alongside more generalized quantum models that use real and binary vectors. The implementation of such a system presents fundamental computational challenges. For large and sometimes sparse datasets, the demands on time and space are different for real, complex, and binary vectors. To accommodate these demands, the Semantic Vectors package has been carefully adapted and can now switch between different number types comparatively seamlessly. This paper describes the key abstract operations in our semantic vector models, and describes the implementations for real, complex, and binary vectors. We also discuss some of the key questions that arise in the field of quantum interaction and informatics, explaining how the wide availability of modelling options for different number fields will help to investigate some of these questions.

Education on plant and machinery valuation for the real market : Malaysian practicality

The purpose of this paper is to determine and discuss on the plant and machinery valuation syllabus for higher learning education in Malaysia to ensure the practicality of the subject in the real market. There have been limited studies in plant and machinery area, either by scholars or practitioners. Most papers highlighted the methodologies but limited papers discussed on the plant and machinery valuation education. This paper will determine inputs for plant and machinery valuation guidance focussing on the syllabus set up and references for valuers interested in this area of expertise. A qualitative approach via content analysis is conducted to compare international and Malaysian plant and machinery valuation syllabus and suggest improvements for Malaysian syllabus. It is found that there are few higher education institutions in the world that provide plant and machinery valuation courses as part of their property studies syllabus. Further investigation revealed that on the job training is the preferable method for plant and machinery valuation education and based on the valuers experience. The significance of this paper is to increase the level of understanding of plant and machinery valuation criteria and provide suggestions to Malaysian stakeholders with the relevant elements in plant and machinery valuation education syllabus.

Supporting the learning of rapid application development in a database environment

Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) are computer systems designed to provide individualised help to students, learning in a problem solving context. The difference between an ITS and a Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) system is that an ITS has a Student Model which allows it to provide a better educational environment. The Student Model contains information on what the student knows, and does not know, about the domain being learnt, as well as other personal characteristics such as preferred learning style. This research has resulted in the design and development of a new ITS: Personal Access Tutor (PAT). PAT is an ITS that helps students to learn Rapid Application Development in a database environment. More specifically, PAT focuses on helping students to learn how to create forms and reports in Microsoft Access. To provide an augmented learning environment, PAT’s architecture is different to most other ITSs. Instead of having a simulation, PAT uses a widelyused database development environment (Microsoft Access). This enables the students to ask for help, while developing real applications using real database software. As part of this research, I designed and created the knowledge base required for PAT. This contains four models: the domain, student, tutoring and exercises models. The Instructional Expert I created for PAT provides individualised help to the students to help them correctly finish each exercise, and also proposes the next exercise that a student should work on. PAT was evaluated by students enrolled in the Databases subject at QUT, and by staff members involved in teaching the subject. The results of the evaluation were positive and are discussed in the thesis.

The Sapphire Vortex : blending virtual world machinima with real world commentary for effective learning of criminal law

Traditional approaches to teaching criminal law in Australian law schools include lectures that focus on the transmission of abstracted and decontextualised knowledge, with content often prioritised at the expense of depth. This paper discusses The Sapphire Vortex, a blended learning environment that combines a suite of on-line modules using Second Life machinima to depict a narrative involving a series of criminal offences and the ensuing courtroom proceedings, expert commentary by practising lawyers and class discussions.

Rule-based transit signal priority control method using a real-time transit travel time prediction model

An advanced rule-based Transit Signal Priority (TSP) control method is presented in this paper. An on-line transit travel time prediction model is the key component of the proposed method, which enables the selection of the most appropriate TSP plans for the prevailing traffic and transit condition. The new method also adopts a priority plan re-development feature that enables modifying or even switching the already implemented priority plan to accommodate changes in the traffic conditions. The proposed method utilizes conventional green extension and red truncation strategies and also two new strategies including green truncation and queue clearance. The new method is evaluated against a typical active TSP strategy and also the base case scenario assuming no TSP control in microsimulation. The evaluation results indicate that the proposed method can produce significant benefits in reducing the bus delay time and improving the service regularity with negligible adverse impacts on the non-transit street traffic.

Numerical modelling and full scale testing of load bearing steel walls under real fires

Fire safety has become an important part in structural design due to the ever increasing loss of properties and lives during fires. Fire rating of load bearing wall systems made of Light gauge Steel Frames (LSF) is determined using fire tests based on the standard time-temperature curve given in ISO 834. However, modern residential buildings make use of thermoplastic materials, which mean considerably high fuel loads. Hence a detailed fire research study into the performance of load bearing LSF walls was undertaken using a series of realistic design fire curves developed based on Eurocode parametric curves and Barnett’s BFD curves. It included both full scale fire tests and numerical studies of LSF walls without any insulation, and the recently developed externally insulated composite panels. This paper presents the details of fire tests first, and then the numerical models of tested LSF wall studs. It shows that suitable finite element models can be developed to predict the fire rating of load bearing walls under real fire conditions. The paper also describes the structural and fire performances of externally insulated LSF walls in comparison to the non-insulated walls under real fires, and highlights the effects of standard and real fire curves on fire performance of LSF walls.

Changing relationships : Re-activating student and staff engagement in the design studio learning environment

QUT Teaching and Learning Support Services 'Revisiting University Teaching’program for mid-career academics. 'Innovations in Teaching at QUT' presentations. Presentations were part of a 2 day program that provides opportunities for experienced academic staff with responsibilities for teaching to review their current teaching practices and explore innovations in teaching that will assist them to enhance student learning and develop their own scholarship of teaching. The presenter responded to the following: 1.What is the innovation you have incorporated into your teaching? - give a brief overview/ description/ demonstration of the innovation 2.What challenges/issues prompted you to make changes in your approach? Were they discipline specific? Operational? Opportunistic? 3.What factors did you need to consider in implementing these changes? Which factors enabled success or hindered? 4.What has this innovation achieved so far? How have learners responded? How have the broader teaching team and academic staff from other units in your course responded? 5.How could this innovation be used by other academics in their teaching? What do you see as the possibilities for further expansion of this innovation? (NB. This question could be answered as part of a final sharing of group discussion). Presenter: Shannon Satherley

Integrating real time positioning systems to improve blind lifting and loading crane operations

Mobile/tower cranes are the most essential forms of construction plant in use in the construction industry but are also the subject of several safety issues. Of these, blind lifting has been found to be one of the most hazardous of crane operations. To improve the situation, a real-time monitoring system that integrates the use of a Global Positioning System (GPS) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is developed. This system aims to identify unauthorized work or entrance of personnel within a pre-defined risk zone by obtaining positioning data of both site workers and the crane. The system alerts to the presence of unauthorized workers within a risk zone——currently defined as 3m from the crane. When this happens, the system suspends the power of the crane and a warning signal is generated to the safety management team. In this way the system assists the safety management team to manage the safety of hundreds of workers simultaneously. An onsite trial with debriefing interviews is presented to illustrate and validate the system in use.

Assessment of precision timing and real-time data networks for digital substation automation

This project researched the performance of emerging digital technology for high voltage electricity substations that significantly improves safety for staff and reduces the potential impact on the environment of equipment failure. The experimental evaluation used a scale model of a substation control system that incorporated real substation control and networking equipment with real-time simulation of the power system. The outcomes confirm that it is possible to implement Ethernet networks in high voltage substations that meet the needs of utilities; however component-level testing of devices is necessary to achieve this. The assessment results have been used to further develop international standards for substation communication and precision timing.

Using real-time authentic online learning scenarios to teach criminal intelligence

Criminal intelligence is an area of expertise highly sought-after internationally and within a variety of justice-related professions; however, producing university graduates with the requisite professional knowledge, as well as analytical, organisational and technical skills presents a pedagogical and technical challenge to university educators. The situation becomes even more challenging when students are undertaking their studies by distance education. This best practice session showcases the design of an online undergraduate unit for final year justice students which uses an evolving real-time criminal scenario as the focus of authentic learning activities in order to prepare students for graduate roles within the criminal intelligence and justice professions. Within the unit, students take on the role of criminal intelligence analysts, applying relevant theories, models and strategies to solve a complex but realistic crime and complete briefings and documentation to industry standards as their major summative assessment task. The session will demonstrate how the design of the online unit corresponds to authentic learning principles, and will specifically map the elements of the unit design to Herrington & Oliver’s instructional design framework for authentic learning (2000; Herrington & Herrington 2006). The session will show how a range of technologies was used to create a rich learning experience for students that could be easily maintained over multiple unit iterations without specialist technical support. The session will also discuss the unique pedagogical affordances and challenges implicated in the location of the unit within an online learning environment, and will reflect on some of the lessons learned from the development which may be relevant to other authentic online learning contexts.

Using real-time authentic online learning scenarios to teach criminal intelligence : presentation

Criminal intelligence is an area of expertise highly sought-after internationally and within a variety of justice-related professions; however, producing university graduates with the requisite professional knowledge, as well as analytical, organisational and technical skills presents a pedagogical and technical challenge to university educators. The situation becomes even more challenging when students are undertaking their studies by distance education. This best practice session showcases the design of an online undergraduate unit for final year justice students which uses an evolving real-time criminal scenario as the focus of authentic learning activities in order to prepare students for graduate roles within the criminal intelligence and justice professions. Within the unit, students take on the role of criminal intelligence analysts, applying relevant theories, models and strategies to solve a complex but realistic crime and complete briefings and documentation to industry standards as their major summative assessment task. The session will demonstrate how the design of the online unit corresponds to authentic learning principles, and will specifically map the elements of the unit design to Herrington & Oliver’s instructional design framework for authentic learning (2000; Herrington & Herrington 2006). The session will show how a range of technologies was used to create a rich learning experience for students that could be easily maintained over multiple unit iterations without specialist technical support. The session will also discuss the unique pedagogical affordances and challenges implicated in the location of the unit within an online learning environment, and will reflect on some of the lessons learned from the development which may be relevant to other authentic online learning contexts.

New labour and the environment : too little too late.

New Labour and the environment: too little too late – symbolic success but real failure Achievements: Introduction of the Climate Change Act 2008, Low Carbon Transition Plan, the creation of the Department of Energy and Climate Change, establishment of several ‘green’ quangos and Green Investment Bank, Warm Front Scheme, international leadership on Kyoto and the European Directive for Landfill and Renewable Energy. Disappointments: Increased green house gas emissions that failto meet domestic UK targets, let alone Kyoto; significant increasesin energy and transport emissions; EU air pollution violations; failure to regulate the importation of illegally logged timber and wildlife; increase in chemical agriculture; unwillingness to tackle corporate environmental crime; road expansions and runway projects at the expense of low emission alternative public transport. Biggest broken promises: Global warming, low carbon transport; protection of biodiversity.

Residential real estate education and globalisation in Australian real estate markets and practices

The purpose of this scoping paper is to offer an overview of the literature to determine the development to date in the area of residential real estate agency academic and career education in respect to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) transactions and implications in Australia. This paper will review studies on the issue of foreign real estate ownership and FDI in Australian real estate markets to develop an understanding of the current state of knowledge on residential real estate agency practice, career education and real estate licensing requirements in Australia. The distinction between the real estate profession education, compared to other professions such as accounting, legal and finance is based on the intensity of the professional career training prior or post formal academic training. Real estate education could be carried out with relatively higher standards in terms of licensing requirement, career and academic education. As FDI in the Australian real estate market is a complex globalisation and economic phenomenon, a simple content of residential real estate training and education may not promote proper management or capacity in dealing with relevant foreign residential property market transaction. The preliminary summarising from the literature of residential real estate agency education, with its current relevant or emerging licensing requirement are focused on its role and effectiveness and impact in residential real estate market. Particular focus will be directed to the FDI relevant residential real estate agency transactions and practices, which have been strongly influenced by the current residential real estate market and agency practices. Taken together, there are many opportunities for future research to extend our understanding and improving the residential real estate agency education and training of Foreign Direct Investment in the Australian residential real estate sector.

Real estate agents : why is education important?

Real Estate Agency education in Australia has undergone many changes during the last 40 years. This is primarily due to the changing nature of consumer protection provided by government and the expectation of increased fields of knowledge relating to real estate transactions. Each state and territory within Australia has a range of regulatory bodies to oversee consumer protection and the distinct licenses and educational requirements that comprise their regimes. Since the 1970’s minimum educational requirements in New South Wales are prescribed for real estate agency work. However, very little research exists in the Australian literature, where an analysis has been undertaken to evaluate these changes, which includes course content, hours allocated for each subject, assessment criteria for each subject,the educational qualification attained, and the requirement for industry experience as a pre-requisite for licensing approval. It is argued that the change to educational requirements, has impacted negatively for the consumer, with an increase in consumer complaints, particularly during the last 10 years.